Acknowledging the passing of Te Rakauoteora Te Maipi

Ka tanuku ka tanuku,

Ka tanuku te tihi o Maungahaumi

Ka tanuku te tihi o Maungapōhatu

E kapo ki ngā whetū, e kapo ki te marama,

E kapo ki ata o taku raukura ka riro e

E tangi ana te ngākau I te rironga a Te Raukauoteora Te Maipi (Koro Don)

He uri nā Mahaki, nā Tūhoe-pōtiki ano hoki.

I tipu ake a Koro Don ki ngā rekereke o tōna tipuna maunga o Maungahaumi ki Mangatu.

He tangata māia, he ūpoko māro, nāna i para i ētahi huarahi i roto o te rohe o Kāpiti, ā o Te Whanganui a Tara whānui, mo te orange o ngāi Māori.

Nāna I  kakari kia whakatūria I te hui ahurei Tākiri o te Ata I te tau 1995 mo ngā Tamariki o te rohe o Kapiti kia tū ki runga I te papatuwaewae o Tane rore, o Hinerēhia.

I whakapau kaha a Koro Don I roto I tana tūranga hei Kaumātua mo te kaunihera neke atu I te 25 tau. I koke whakamua a Koro Don I te kaunīhera I roto I ngā aupiki me ngā au heke o te wā.

Nō reira e te rangatira. Haere atu rā ki ō mātua tīpuna, kauriatia ō moana,

Piki ake ō māunga, tāwhaitia atu ngā parae, ā, waiho rā mā ngā ao kapua me ngā huruhuru o ngā manu rangatira o Te Wao Tapu nui ā Tāne e kawe haere tō rongo ki te motu, otirā ki te ao whānui.

It is with much sadness we acknowledge the passing of Te Rakauoteora Te Maipi.

Koro Don (as he was fondly known) was a humble man who achieved much during his lifetime. A man who worked tirelessly for his people.

He was particularly instrumental in the inception of Tākiri o te Ata festival over 30 years ago. Which is Kāpiti’s annual primary and intermediate kapa haka festival.

Koro Don worked tirelessly to lead the Kāpiti Coast District Council as our Council Kaumātua for 25 plus years.

Koro Don will be laying at Whakarongotai Marae until Wednesday.

Our thoughts are with Koro Don’s whānau at this time.